time to dance

Day 7

Hello happy life travelers!

Yes, it’s me again! Sticking to this 90 Day journey. You are about to see some changes in the format as we move forward. No more daily housekeeping messages about the companion workbook, where to find the coupon code to get it for free, how to get daily sheets, etc. I will add a housekeeping message weekly for newbies we pick up along the way. So, right now to see that message you will need to refer to an earlier post - try yesterday’s post - in this 90 Days series.

Lately, I’ve found myself becoming obsessed with some dancers on social media.

Russell the Dancing UPS Man

Leo Lorenzo

Phoenix Grey

and NAVA on youtube - (his short videos - his regular videos are men’s styling ha!)

I am NOT a dancer - except alone in my kitchen or living room or bathroom - always alone. I’m clumsy and I hurt people who are in my vicinity when I dance. My animals even know to steer clear! I have a trigger in my daily life that if my fitbit alerts me that I’ve been stationery too long, I get up, crank up my MOVE playlist - and I have a private dance party for 2-3 songs. Remember I talked about my love for the stage and reasons behind it earlier in this series? Dancing is also this for me. I can step on that dance floor (living room floor, kitchen floor, bathroom floor - any floor turns into a dance floor once music is added!) I become a dancer… in my mind a different character. The music really does set me free. Now in my mind I look like this - I mean, who wouldn’t love this, right?

But in reality? Ummm my mirror is laughing at me. (wait for it…) [I found this on youtube and it is not owned by the poster - I’m happy to link and credit the owner of this originally posted this when I learn who it is.]

So, I dance alone.

Anyway, I was raised that you don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t cuss, don’t dance and don’t associate with those who do. So, I was not allowed to go to dances. My junior prom - was one of the biggest fights I ever had with my parents. I was forced instead to go with the youth group bowling where we were in a lane next to drunk idiots who cussed and smoked and drank and groped women.. but hey! At least they weren’t dancing! My classmates at promo were more well behaved that than bunch next to us. I was promised I could go my senior year. Only, I got mono (I still swear mom prayed for God to intervene so I couldn’t go to my senior prom) and I missed everything the last six weeks of my senior year including prom. My brother got to go to dances and proms. I never understood that. The only time I went to a dance. I paid like $7 which was a lot of money back then - to get into a dance - to hand a note to a guy I liked who was there. I was there like 5 minutes. I was asked a few months later if I went to a dance before by a friend who was a penpal because when I was a teenager letter writing was the only option - no texting or email and long distance calls were too expensive. My mom went through my room and read my letters and journal and found it, showed my dad, and I was grounded for over a month because I had gone to a dance! I didn’t even dance!!! I was humiliated and horrified because some younger kid came up to me and got on his knees and begged me to dance with him. Made a huge scene. I could not get out of there fast enough! Plus, his mom taught with my mom and I knew if he told his mom he danced with me - she would tell my mom and I’d get into trouble. Incidentally, I had a unplanned, unwed pregnancy when I was 21 and alert the media because no dancing was involved in that! But that’s a story for another time.

Now. I dance on my own terms. I love it. I’ve always loved music. It’s a motivator for me as well. So when I dance along, it connects it to my entire body. And I’m energized. I believe dancing is a gift from God. Not something we should avoid!

So, if I was faced with news that I only had a month to live, I’m sure I would be doing more dancing, if I was able. Dancing for me is freedom for me to be me without apology - unless I harm someone with my wicked dance moves. ha!

So, in the live the dash challenge, we are talking about time today. (To comment and join in the discussion please be sure you are in our free chat on the Substack app where everyone can chat - not just paid subscribers.)

If you knew you only had a few short weeks to live, wouldn't you shift how you spent your time? If you truly are living your life to the full width of this challenge, are you lingering more at meal time with your family? To you savor your moments? The aroma of your morning coffee? Do you watch more sunrises or sunsets and ponder their colors and beauty and uniqueness? Cheer your kids on in their activities or team events? Choose to read a more meaningful book over binging Netflix? Take a nature walk and savor the sights, the sounds of birds and other wildlife and feel a breeze brush past you as it rustles leaves in nearby plant life?

These things may not point to our accomplishment but they are essential to our well-being. We require rest. We crave beauty. The ability to savor is a gift.

Keep a journal this week and note how you spend each day. Reflect on what you accomplish and contentment.

How would you rate the cost-effectiveness of how you invested your time?

The challenge has several more prompts and you will find them in the 90 Days with Life Souvenirs companion workbook or in the daily worksheets behind the paywall for my paid subscribers.

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And let’s not forget the song for the day and newest addition to the 90 Days with Life Souvenirs playlist!

Now would be a good time to get up and dance! I hope you dance. I hope you pause in the moments. You only get one shot at this thing we call life.

Until tomorrow,

MelAnn

Paid Subscribers - don’t forget to grab your worksheets for today at the bottom of this post!